


Strawberry Pizza

by pinkcherry



Category: GOT7
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Jealousy, M/M, Miscommunication, Romance, Slow Burn, Soft!Jaebum, a fic that doesn't make mark look submissive to jaebum, dont be mistaken this is a markbum fic, markbum are the intellectual side couples we all love, markson are roommates, soft for mark
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-01
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-02-08 23:18:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 17,455
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12875181
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pinkcherry/pseuds/pinkcherry
Summary: Mark and Jaebum are tired of being Jinyoung and Jackson's bluffers.orJaebum doesn't know if he's the antagonist or the second lead of the story and Mark doesn't seem to really care.





	1. French Fries and Chicken Nuggets

Jaebum saw it all. The way Jackson would look up from his laptop to glance over across the table to stare at him for a moment, catch himself, and then quickly look back down at his glowing screen, proceeding to attempt to polish his essay for his Political Science class. It was not very hard to miss the way Jinyoung would notice his gaze, his bottom lip being sucked in between his teeth, chewing gently, a nervous habit he picked up not too long ago. Jaebum pretended not to notice though as he went back to munching on his sour cream flavored chips discretely hiding it on the inside of his jacket. He needed a distraction away from the obvious tension between the two. Whatever had happened last night during the party, Jaebum was positive won't be handled well. And he was certainly not ready for it, not when he had midterms coming up and two essays due within the span of two weeks.

“Jaebum, maybe you shouldn’t be eating that here,” right next to Jackson sat Mark, the tip of his nose bruised red, his eyebrows furrowed so intensely that Jaebum was afraid it’ll just get stuck there. Slowly, and not so quietly, he munched on the last bits of his chips while trying his best to quietly, yet with no avail, stuff his chips back into his bag. The distressed Mark only sighing in irritation, a new side of him that Jaebum was just witnessing at this very moment. From the time he had known Mark, only being been a year and half, he was quiet and reserved. Only talking when he felt like it, which was practically never. Yet, oddly enough, he laughs at everything and anything, even if absolutely nothing was funny. Like the time Jinyoung had tripped and all his papers scattered into a puddle of muddy water. Jinyoung didn't find it very funny, but Mark couldn't stop hollering over it.

“Sorry,” and then he caught it again, the glance Jackson threw Jinyoung’s way and he swore he wasn’t allowed to see any of these happening. But it was hard, especially when he witnessed Jinyoung visibly squirming in his seat, the apple of his cheeks madly blushing. “Jinyoungie, are you okay?”

“Y-yeah,” Jinyoung nodded, response too quick for Jaebum not to notice the oddness in Jinyoung’s demeanor. “I’m just a little hungry.”

“Let’s go get dinner after this, yeah?” Jinyoung nodded and if Jaebum was watching the way Jackson flinched in his seat, he didn’t try to make it as seemed like he had seen it. Instead he looked away, plugged his earphones back in and hit the space button on his laptop to continue watching the anime he had accidentally stumbled upon on last night. Midterms weren’t really his thing anyways.

  
  


“Do you like Jackson?” it wasn’t surprising when Jinyoung had accidentally stubbed his toe against the edge of the table’s legs as he made his way towards Jaebum’s couch. Hissing in pain, he had flopped himself down clumsily next to Jaebum, the top of his head almost knocking against Jaebum’s jaw as he brought his knee to his chest to clutch on his sock covered toes. With a small whimper of curses, Jaebum had managed to push his question on, “well do you?”

“No!” Jinyoung shook his head vehemently, his eyes widening slightly at the suggestion before looking off to the side, his ears heating up. It was all just a tell tale signs, Jaebum knew Jinyoung long enough to know when he was lying. The way he had dodged Jaebum’s eyes as he answered to the way he had dramatically looked away, and to the odd quietness of the room that somehow never eat them up unless Jinyoung was trying to hide something from him, his best friend.

“No?” Jaebum repeated his answer into which Jinyoung whined louder, pressing his back against the couch’s arm and kicking at Jaebum’s thigh.

“Why would you ever think that?”

“Because, I see the way you look at him, and it’s fairly familiar to the way you looked at Hyunwoo, or that time you had a tiny crush on Yugyeom,” and that earned him another kick on the thighs. Jaebum was unable to hide the smile from his lips at the sight of Jinyoung pouting. He only looked like that because he got caught, not because Jaebum had dug up his bad records of feelings for younger taller males who just happened to not like boys and only girls. And who had demanded every single one of Jinyoung’s attention and yet deflect every single advancement. It was hard long month for Jinyoung, and Jaebum just watched him suffer through it all.

“I didn’t have a crush on Yugyeom! It was just a mere...fascination or probably confusion between liking someone and purely hating them,” Jinyoung explained, for the umpteenth time. He adjusted himself so his lower back was now leaning against the arm of the chair and no longer sporting a massive double chin, rolling his sleeves up his arms as he coughed softly. Another tell tale sign of Jinyoung trying but failing to hide something from Jaebum, his best friend.

“Okay, you didn’t have a crush on Yugyeom. But when are you going to tell Jackson?”

“Never!”

“So you do like him?”

“No!” Jinyoung grabbed one of the throw pillows and pressed it against his face, where he can scream in frustration. Jinyoung and his dramatics, really, was the only reason why Jaebum had struck through in the first place. That and his ability to cook.

“He likes you too,” Jaebum hummed, stuffing his colds hands into the pocket of his sweater that was a size too big on him, yet fit him so perfectly well. Jinyoung froze in his seat, pillow still pressed against his face, almost not breathing. It wasn’t until Jaebum started laughing that Jinyoung decided that he probably had just enough of Jaebum’s teasing and jumped him. Slapping every part of Jaebum he can possibly reach as the older latter blocked his face with his hands. Before they knew it, they were wrestling on the ground with Jinyoung screaming at the top of his lungs and Jaebum laughing his ass off. Because Jinyoung was too damn obvious.

“The door was opened so we just--” Jaebum looked over his shoulder where he had Jinyoung pinned to the floor, his hands gripped on his biceps as he pressed them down, hindering them from possibly harming him. One of his knees planted between Jinyoung’s thighs. The way Jackson had taken a step back from the scene was missed by Jinyoung from the way Jaebum was blocking his view, and he wished he wasn’t doing so. Because the way Jackson suddenly had his shoulders tense, like he was preparing for a battle made Jaebum laugh louder than appropriate as he collapsed besides Jinyoung, hurting his shoulder in the process.

“Hyung, what is wrong with you today?” Jinyoung smacked him on the stomach as he proceed to bark in laughter, not missing the odd looks Mark was giving him and the calculating look on Jackson’s face.

  
  
  


“This is my best friend,” Jaebum had drunkenly looped his arms around Jackson’s smaller frame, tugging the shorter boy against his chest, hiccupping a laugh. The girls in front of them giggling at the sight of their sunbae flashing them one of the most charming smiles he could possibly muster up in his drunk state, which only come off across as a lazy smile, but nevertheless toothy and swooning. Jackson just froze in his grip, in fact, even trying to pry Jaebum’s arm off of him. “Isn’t he just the most adorable person you have ever seen?”

Jinyoung had turned his head to look at Jaebum’s crazy drunk antics. “Hyung.”

“Isn’t that right Jackson-ah?” he was meant to reach his free hand to pinch Jackson’s cheek in an endearing way because he felt like he hadn’t seen the little punk in a long ass while, so screw him for being so unthoughtful. But in his toxicated mind, he had forgotten that he his free hand wasn’t as free as he imagined it to be. Before he knew it, the contents of his red cup had spilled all over Jackson’s sweat drench shirt. Gasps flew from every which direction and heads started turning to look at their host, completely soaked in Jaebum’s signature mix of strawberry whiskey and coke. “Oh shit.”

“Hyung...what in the fuck!?” Jinyoung was the first to react, Jackson too shocked as he slowly processed what had just happened to his favorite shirt, the contents dripping down his black ripped jeans down to his expensive new shoes. Before Jaebum can apologize, Jinyoung was already shoving at him and helping Jackson to the bathroom where even from a closed off room, Jinyoung was still yelling and scolding Jaebum for everyone to hear. And behind him was none other than BamBam and Youngjae laughing their asses off at the lost look on Jaebum’s face, Youngjae’s voice especially louder in his drunk state as he slightly swayed back, Yugyeom catching him.

“Hyung, maybe it’s time to slow down on the drinks,” Yugyeom reached behind him to open up a cold water bottle for Jaebum to take. But Jaebum, having the idea that the younger shouldn’t be taking care of him, shook his head with a low hum of disapproval as he attempted to take a step back only to be reeled back by Yugyeom. “Hyung, please, just one sip.”

“No!”

“Jaebum,” Mark then stepped in front of him and shoved a new opened water bottle, this time, not as cold as the one Yugyeom was holding. “I’m tired of your shit. If you’re not going to drink this, I’m going to kick you out.”

And that had done it. Jaebum took the warm water bottle from Mark and gulped down half of the contents. Because he was feeling thirsty and it had absolutely nothing to do with the way with how his heart slightly jumped at the authoritative tone he didn’t know Mark possessed in him. And it had absolutely nothing to do with the way Mark looked at him and had nothing to do with him being scared of actually being kicked out in front of everyone. Because if he had known one thing about Mark was that he would actually commit a friendship breaking asshole move. Just like that.

After that incident, Jaebum hadn’t seen Jinyoung or Jackson come out of the bathroom, not that he noticed at his state. Not when Mark was slapping his hand away from reaching any drinks, not even a light beer that would have little to no effect on him, he swears! And he had even completely forgotten the fact that they never left the bathroom when Mark had decided that he had just had enough of Jaebum’s childish antics, going as far as trying to trick Mark into looking the other way while trying to grab another beer. Into which, Mark, surprisingly strong for his figure, had grabbed onto his way and pulled him away from the cooler full of glory and wonders.

So when he was kicked out of the small apartment with Mark pocketing his keys and grabbing Jaebum to drag him towards the elevator, ignoring his whines and groans, Jaebum was more than perplexed at the situation. Especially at the darkening look in Mark’s expression whenever Jaebum complained about his arm popping off his shoulder the whole ride down the lobby. He was more appeased with the way Mark kicked him on the shin and shoved his shoulder to get him to start walking out the elevator and soon out the building. 

“Where are we going?”

“We are going to get you sober,” Mark grumbled underneath his breath, pulling his hoodie over his start bright red hair as Jaebum tried trudging along to his pace. When he was unable to keep up, Mark turned around to wait for him, his hands shoved inside his pocket and Jaebum swore he saw light coming from the dark skies. Either that or the moon was just that good at reflecting every detailed features of Mark’s face from under the hoodie.

“Why the fuck are you so pretty?”

Mark flushed at his words but was quickly deflected when he had rolled his eyes. “Can you just hurry up?”

“Maybe stop walking so damn fast!”

  
  
  


Jaebum was feeling more sober, but it didn’t mean he had stopped blinking to see if Mark was really sitting across from him. Mark was Jaebum’s friend. But their friendship wasn’t like of his friendship with Jackson or Mark’s friendship with Jinyoung. They have a certain interest in music and video games, but they don’t really talk about it. They also both despised Bambam and loved Youngjae. They also both hate marshmallows unless it was with chocolate, sandwiched between graham crackers. They were friends, they’re in the same clique of friends, and they always hang out with each other.

But just never alone together.

“What? What is it now?” Mark looked exasperated with his hoodie pulled down low so anything above eyebrow level wasn’t seen.

“Are we friends?”

Mark looked at him puzzled with his eyebrows knitting together in the middle, eyes darting at him like he was thinking hard about the question. But knowing Mark, his friend, Jaebum knew he was just lost. “Yeah?”

“Cool,” Jaebum nodded, not really sure what his drunken mind wanted from Mark but he was satisfied with that. At least one thing was established between them and the awkward air that hung around. And just like that Mark kept himself with his thoughts and Jaebum continued to stare into space, trying to remember what had led him to be in his current situation. It was only until the tired young waitress with the frizzled hair Jaebum had ever seen came up to them to place down Mark’s bacon and cheese fries and Jaebum’s chicken nuggets in front of them that the awkward spell broke between them.

But that was only because they had something to actually use their mouths for instead of talking. Though just right about when Jaebum was about to pop his fiffth chicken nugget, Mark coughed to get his attention, the same time ketchup dripped down from the nugget down to his chin. “What’s going on between you and Jinyoung?”

“Huh?” Jaebum was slow to wipe the ketchup off his chin, his mind slightly spinning. He stared at Mark for a second before licking the ketchup of his thumb. “Jinyoung?”

“Yeah, Jinyoung,” Mark concluded, patient with Jaebum’s lack of understand. “Are you and--do you like him?”

“Uh yeah, I like Jinyoung,” Jaebum nodded as he finally had the decency to eat the whole chicken nugget, which really was meant to be big so it can be a two bitter, but Jaebum had a talent. He was more focused on his meal that he missed the twitch in Mark’s left eyebrow. “I love Jinyoung. He’s my baby. My soulmate. My best friend.”

“Your baby?”

“Uh,” Jaebum dunked his sixth chicken nugget in ketchup. “He needs a lot of taking care of you know.”

“No. Jaebum, I mean do you like Jinyoung romantically?” Jaebum froze, his head lifting up to meet Mark’s eyes once again, blinking slowly. What the hell did the redhead just ask him? Him? Liking Jinyoung? Romantically? Jaebum? With Jinyoung? Before he realized, he physically pulled himself back to let out barks of laughter just at the thought of him being in a romantic relationship with Jinyoung. Shaking his head frantically from side to side as he hugged his waist from the inevitable pain of his laughter, Mark glaring at him from across the table.

“Yah. What’s so funny?”

“Y-you think I l-like Jinyoung?!” Mark just let him laugh the drunkness out of him, even with the staff looking at their way, amused of Jaebum just falling on his side on the booth to laugh even louder. And if Mark was smiling at the sight of him being so carefree, Jaebum won’t ever mention the sight. “Oh my fuck,” Jaebum quickly sat up at the realization hitting him all in one go. “You don’t think Jackson thinks that right?”

“...uh...he does.”

  
  
  


Perhaps it wasn’t wise for Mark to just take Jaebum out, in the middle of a party, to go eat some french fries and chicken nuggets like some bored middle schoolers. But if it helped, at least Mark was comfortable now, under Jaebum’s presence. In fact, and almost shockingly to Jaebum, it had seemed like Mark truly enjoyed his presence, a whole different feeling than when Mark was dragging him out of their apartment. Because, perhaps, in retrospect, Jaebum enjoyed the way Mark laughed at his sudden outburst of why in the hell would people think putting a damn fruit on a pizza would be a fantastic idea.

Jaebum wasn’t going to lie and not admit that the way he was staring at Jaebum was most definitely different than the way he would stare at anyone else. Maybe it was the shots he had taken just an hour or so ago, or maybe it was because he felt like everything was just a dream to him. The more he heard Mark’s laugh, the more he was encouraged to make a fool out of himself, and the more he had felt so...giddy over it.

So yeah, maybe he was a little disappointed when Mark called it a night and paid for their midnight meals to head back to the party “ _incase Jackson couldn’t handle hosting by himself._ ” Jaebum kinda hated Jackson at the moment. At that moment, when they left the small joint and to go back to the apartment, and perhaps even more so when they had reached their doors. Maybe, and perhaps, even more so when both Mark and Jaebum had realized that they may or may have not spent more than just an hour at the joint because the apartment was empty with no life. All guests gone and the mess more apparent now than ever. All tell tale signs that there was no more party and thus no more casually finding excuses to stand by Mark and socialize, which, in Jaebum’s own mental records, for some reason never really happened. But even so, he was still more than disappointed when Mark told him to close the door properly when he leaves to go home and bid him good night. He really hated Jackson.

Though not entirely when he watched Marks trudged across the apartment, not even taking off his shoes as he headed to his own room only to stop in the middle of the hallway. Standing next to Jackson's door, his shoulders tense and the tips of his fingers twitching besides him. There was a silent pause for a second or two, leaving Jaebum standing dumbly from the small space behind the door, watching Mark standing there like time had frozen before his eyes. And when Mark had turned around on his heels with his cheeks bright red, cheeks twinning with his ears, Jaebum felt more hopeful and less angry at Jackson as Mark headed towards his way.

“Let me take you home actually. Since..you’re drunk and all.”  
  
  
  


Taking Jaebum home somehow meant Mark stayed with him the rest of the night. Because before Jaebum could even process shit anymore, Mark was laying besides him, fast asleep, snoring quite softly, dead to the world. Jaebum cornered between his white walls and Mark’s smaller frame. When and how did Mark ended up sleeping over was beyond Jaebum. All he knew was that when he opened his eyes, Mark was still there, closer than before, in Jaebum’s relatively big bed (which really took up all his room, and frankly dried up his bank account, but there was no damn way Jaebum is sleeping in a twin sized bed, when he can fit a king size instead, more room to roll around in).

Mark stirred in his sleep, eyes fluttering open like they do in fairytales. And if Jaebum felt heat crawling up from his neck just at the sight and even thought of waking up next to Mark, he blamed it on the fact that he has very minimal experiences with people being in his bed so early in the morning. 

“Oh shit, what happened?” Mark’s voice in the morning was way different than Jaebum had expected it to be. It was deep, and hoarse, but it was not as cute as he had thought it would be. It wasn’t deep in a way that it hit Jaebum right under his stomach, but it hit him in just all the right places. And it was dragging? Like, his voice was meant to just kick start Jaebum’s day with a hard on in his heart. Okay, seriously, what the fuck?

“Why are you here?”

“Why _am I_ here?”

  
  
  


Jinyoung was acting weird. And Jackson was acting off, too. For some odd reason, Jinyoung dragged Jaebum everywhere, even to the point that he had ditched class and somehow manipulated Jaebum to do the same. Not that it took a lot of convincing anyways. He hung around Jaebum’s room too and _spoke_ to Jaebum about his day and _asked_ Jaebum how his day went even though Jinyoung was well aware that he was literally with him the whole day. And then, during lunch, Jinyoung would sit particularly too close to him, a normal habit, but with the way the past four days had been going, Jaebum felt like it was too close. Especially when he was receiving undeserved looks.

Jackson, on the other hand, won’t just stop looking Jaebum’s way, like he wanted to scold Jaebum for doing something stupid, but he just can’t figure out what he had done wrong. And Jaebum had apologized over his behavior during the party countless of times, and Jackson had said it was fine with a blush on his cheeks. Maybe perhaps the flush was because Jaebum hardly ever aplogizes. So he really didn’t understand why Jackson was always on edge with him, especially whenever Jinyoung captivated his attention by acting, particularly, weird too. Jaebum had been on his best behavior ever since the party, but why did it felt like he was still being punished for his mistakes?

And then he saw Jackson staring at Jinyoung's direction with longing in his eyes.

 _Oh._ _  
_

“Annoying,” Jaebum had mumbled softly to himself as he leaned against the cushion of the couch, catching Jinyoung’s unneeded and overbearing attention, looking his way to raise an eyebrow. Jaebum just ignored the look as he flipped to the next page, reading a manga that Youngjae forced onto him. He paid his attention back to a particular scene where the main character was eating pastries with their love interest, the atmosphere seemingly awkward and quiet. And suddenly, Jaebum’s knee jerked, kicking the glass table between the cushioned couches. It made Mark jump, who was sitting across him, startled away from reviewing his notes. “S-sorry.”

“Are you okay?” Mark finally spoke up after fidgeting in his seat with his palms sweaty, his breathing slowly becoming uneven. He kept reading and rereading the scene in his head as flashbacks ran through his head from the night of the party. And then at the memory of Mark staying with him until Jaebum sobered up, and then waking up next to him thinking about how enticing Mark’s misused voice was. He squirmed further into his seat when he caught Mark’s stare and decided that he had enough of feeling small today.

“Jinyoung, wanna go on that sushi date you’ve been raving about all morning?”

Jinyoung nodded and smiled while finishing up the last sentence of his essay. And in the corner of Jaebum’s eye, Mark had looked away to glance Jackson’s way who had tensed up in his own cushion couch. If it wasn’t for the way Jaebum’s mind was spinning around the thought of ‘maybe I should have used the opportunity and cuddle up against him and blame it on the alcohol’, Jaebum would have surely felt bad. Considering that he may or may not just be potentially ruining Jackson and Jinyoung’s chances on a healthy fresh relationship. But at the moment, Jaebum was feeling selfish and so so lost.


	2. Baby Blue or Peach?

Jaebum finally concluded that he would rather have his eyes gouged out by Jackson himself than watch him oggle on Jinyoung like a complete horndog. And then proceed to pout at Mark who often ignored him so he would then he’d plaster himself on Jaebum, the forgotten and hated friend, ex-best friend. Honestly, it was only months ago when Jackson wouldn’t stop showering Jaebum with attention and love. But now that Jinyoung was now the bigger picture of the scenery, Jaebum suddenly felt lost in place.

Ever since things started escalating for the two of them, Jackson had been hot and cold on Jaebum. Like this morning, when Jackson had _saved_ him from having a carb coma by taking away his muffins and somehow convincing him to accompany Jackson to yoga lessons. Jaebum farted a lot and didn’t ever want to that ever again, by the way. Then half the day went without seeing each other and when they finally do, with Jinyoung trailing behind Jaebum, suddenly they were foes. Every approach Jaebum initiated was rejected by a huff and a cold shoulder. Jaebum really didn’t know if he was the best friend stuck in the middle or the second lead of the drama. It was exhausting and more so confusing.

Especially, when nothing was his fault. And all the faults had more to do with Jinyoung and his lack of emotional responsibilities. So lacking that Jinyoung cannot handle an hour of hanging out with Jackson by himself without the need to bring anyone to portray as a third wheel. It had come to a point when Jinyoung would purposely make bullshit excuses like Jaebum needing him to do something so that Jackson would have to let him go. Which is funny because Jinyoung never does anything for Jaebum in the first place and Jaebum really hated lying to Jackson. Especially when one of the excuses was that Jaebum needed him to get toilet paper because of the diarrhee he never had. It was already enough that Jackson tormented him for absolutely nothing, but the fact that he told Yugyeom and Bambam made it worse.

And Jaebum was more than sick of it all. He really didn’t want to get in the way of their oddly blooming relationship. Which shouldn’t be hard considering at least one of them had been inside the other. If Jaebum knew anything about relationships, sex with feelings had always been the key to success. Then again, he only came to the thought after accidentally reading a book.

So when Jinyoung had texted Jaebum the sight where they will all be meeting at to help Youngjae with his presentation, he couldn’t help but roll his eyes at the emphasis of his needed presence. He truly didn’t want to meet the awkward tension between Jackson and Jinyoung today, not when he finally realized what had happened between them when Mark and Jaebum were out at the joint. There was no way in hell was he going to play brick wall right now.

Just to his luck, he happened to bump into Mark on the way to their meeting place, as he explained that he too was invited to help Youngjae out. “I don’t want to go, but you know Youngjae.”

“We don’t have to,” Jaebum blurted out in the heat of the moment. Perhaps he was thinking too deeply about the scenery around them. Flowers in every which way, the sun bright and warm, and the wind blowing just in the right speed. No way in hell did he want to go on dates with Mark like this, all cheesy. “Do you want to get ramen?”

Okay, so maybe, just maybe, picturing it wasn’t a bad idea after. Especially when Mark nodded in slight excitement and then they were heading to a Japanese restaurant nearby, ignoring the texts of _where r u_ ’s.

  


****

  


“I was young and stupid,” Mark had emphasized again to Jaebum with his mouth full of ramen.

“You really dated a girl for four days and then broke her heart, just like that? Wah, Mark, I didn’t know you could be so cruel,” Jaebum snickered as he arranged his ramen, pushing the meat off to the side, deciding to eat it later. Much to Jaebum’s surprise, Mark wasn’t all too bad to hang out with, especially after Jaebum’s confusion. He talked a lot but at the same time he allowed Jaebum to having silence as he ate his noodles. “I only had two.”

“Let me guess, one was your first ever punk rock girlfriend and the other was your awakening boyfriend,” Jaebum blinked at Mark’s gusses. Because they were absolutely fucking right and Mark must have seen the shock in his face because he let out a laugh. “I was just kidding I didn’t actually think you would!”

“Yah,” Jaebum gently tapped him from under the table and shook his head disapprovingly. “My awakening broke my heart into tiny little pieces until I became a cold son of a bitch. And then eventually a desperate humper. Have some sympathy, cheater.”

“Yah!” Mark giggled. He fucking giggled. And his heart fucking jumped, almost like it was going to burst out of his chest. “I only dated her for four days! That doesn’t even count as a relationship.”

“Whatever floats your boat, I guess.”

And they talked like that for the next hour, ignoring the texts from their roommates who were probably freaking out because Youngjae had ditched them and they didn’t want to be left alone, together, where they could potentially use the opportunity of Mark and Jaebum not being at their individual apartments. Jaebum didn’t bother to look at his phone and neither did Mark. They just both focused on each other’s stories and laugh at the stupid ones. Who knew talking to Mark can be enticing?

 

***

 

Jaebum didn’t like confrontation as much as he didn’t like submission. It was just not in his book of social skills. He was an only child after all. He didn’t learn how to accommodate for younger siblings and he didn’t like being wrong because there was no sibling to tell him otherwise. It wasn’t until he met Yugyeom that he started to understand what it was like to be an older brother with an annoying little brother who always invaded his space and asked too many questions.

“Hyung, if you’re not going to buy me this, then what was the point of you asking me to go shopping with you?” Yugyeom argued as he held up graphic tee-shirt, too close to Jaebum’s face. The younger boy looked down at him with an incredulous look, offended that Jaebum even had the decency to cringe at the sight of the shirt. “You just have no fashion sense okay!”

“You hang out with Bambam too much, you changed,” Jaebum shook his head in disagreement before turning away to walk out of the store. “Drop the shirt brat. Let’s look somewhere else.”

Jaebum met Yugyeom around the same time he met Jinyoung. He was only 14 and Yugyeom was 11 when Jaebum became his babysitter for two years. Yugyeom’s mother was a neurologist, friends with his cardiologist mother, so she was barely home for Yugyeom. Jaebum’s mother had hinted that Jaebum was good being alone, he can take care of Yugyeom. During the two years he took care of Yugyeom, he allowed him to see the world in Jaebum’s own perspective. And while he was dragging Yugyeom around, Jinyoung at times popped up in the youngest life.

When Yugyeom turned 13, his mother had assumed that he no longer needed a baby sitter so Jaebum stopped coming over and sneaking him out of the house. Instead Yugyeom would sneak out on his own and at times find Jaebum, and most of the time, go to a dance studio Jaebum introduced him to. So it didn’t become odd when Jinyoung stopped seeing Yugyeom and vice versa.

It was only until Yugyeom graduated from high school, all 18 and adult that Jinyoung finally saw the brat, a taller and broader brat. Charming with the whole bad boy slash hip hop dancer vibe that made his way on top of the food chain in his school. That and of course, landing as top two in his class. Brains and looks, just like his dear hyung Jaebum. Jinyoung, lost of words, was taken back at his growth spurt and Jaebum found it more so disgusting that he’s blushing over a complete child.

So that was when Jinyoung had a moment of weakness and fell for Yugyeom that scholar student. That was until a month or two later that Jinyoung finally met Yugyeom, the annoying spoiled loud brat who had no respect for Jaebum or Jinyoung at that fact. And the fact that he was very much straight. One of the few qualities he didn’t pick up from whore Im Jaebum. Though, Jaebum loved bringing it up as much as possible.

“Yugyeom, did I ever mention to you,” Jaebum knew this was going to be a very bad idea, but he couldn’t help himself, “that Jinyoung liked you for a bit.”

“No fucking way!”

 

***

  


Jaebum was about to turn a corner when he had accidentally bumped into someone’s shoulder on the way. And just like a typical drama, Jaebum looked over his shoulder to say sorry to whoever it was only to meet the eyes he had been raving about all week in his head. Still dreaming of the day they had lunch together. “Uh. Mark.”

“Jaebum,” Mark rubbed his shoulder gently, his eyebrows furrowed in the middle. If it wasn’t for the way Mark was glaring at anything else but Jaebum, he would have guessed Mark was upset with him. He could only count on hand hand how many times he had ever seen Mark mad and Jaebum, in all those times, never truly learned how to deal with him like this.

“You alright?”

Mark glared at him instead of the tree next to Jaebum. And he almost flinched at the sight at how dark his face had gotten. Mark took a step forward and Jaebum wanted nothing more than to take a step back for the sake of his anxiety when he saw a glimpse of Mark’s curled fist. He knew what hidden strength the older possessed, stories from both Bambam and Youngjae had gotten around the circle after all. To this day, Youngjae’s old beaten car’s air conditioner has yet to function properly.

When he was about to close his eye and prepare himself to be punched in the face, Jaebum felt nothing but a small breeze as fingers wrapped around his wrist tightly. Opening his eyes, he met Mark’s stare, now less dark but yet still furious. “I don’t want to go home.”

That was all Mark had said when he dragged Jaebum across the city, shopping and eating street food without a word of why Mark had felt so angry. But Jaebum decided it was best that he didn’t know and enjoy the sight of Mark enjoying their flux of activities. Even if that meant that Jaebum had to _just stand there and look pretty_ since it was apparently what Jaebum was good at as Mark tried his clothes on.

“Come inside,” Mark peeked his head out from the curtains before he had reached over to grab Jaebum by the arm and pulled him in without much regard for Jaebum’s objection, or his sanity. Mark stood in the rather spacious fitting room with his jeans riding low on his hips and his bare torso exposed for Jaebum to eat up and savor during his nightly routines. The fact that Jaebum even thought of that makes him want to punch himself in the face.

“Why-”

“Which one looks better on me?” Mark pressed a baby blue button up shirt against his flat chest and then switched it to the peach colored button up shirt. “I have a presentation in two days and apparently if we don’t look clean enough, we are not passing.”

“Let me guess, your professor was staring down at you?” Mark clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes. Jaebum had the same teacher last semester who had thought of his whole outfit similar to those of upcoming hobos. Mark, with brands and all, dresses remarkably in the same sense. Ripped jeans and baggy hoodies, in this time of day, according to their professor should never be in fashion. He turned around to hang the two shirts, before looking over his shoulder to stare at Jaebum for any sort of answer. “I think the blue one looks nice on you.”

“You think everything would look nice on me,” Mark blurted out and with the way his shoulder tensed, it seemed that he didn’t want his words to be heard. But with the way he had turned around with that infamous inquiring smile, Jaebum knew he didn’t care what he heard. “You know, since I’m pretty and all.”

“Would you just drop that already!? I was drunk!” Jaebum groaned, hands coming to cover his reddening cheeks, refusing to let Mark even see a glimpse of it.

“Bet you find me so pretty that even punching you in the face won’t change your mind, would it?” Mark clicked his tongue again, but this time there was no means, just pure mischief.

“You’re so annoying with that. Watch me find something to hold against you,” Jaebum reached over to bat him on the shoulder, Mark moving fast enough to dodge but nevertheless let out an almost ear-shrilling laugh.

“Come on Jaebum-ah, you’re into me.”

“No I’m not! You’re all cocky on your own!” Jaebum bursted out of the fitting room, already forgetting to hide his blushing cheeks and pink ears as he stomped out. Standing by one of the rackets to just _stand there and look pretty_. And he stayed there, pouting. Even when Mark emerged from the fitting room, deciding buying both won’t be all too bad. And then proceeding to laugh at him all the way from the cash register.

Jaebum continued to pout for the rest of the night. Not really one from being confronted so easily in front of the only person who can currently make him feel so damn flustered. It’s not like he wanted to be anyways! It just happens. But as soon as Mark bought him his favorite sugar filled frappuccino and some ice cream filled macaroons, Jaebum immediately forgotten the whole ordeal and skipped around. Probably because, it was the first thing Mark bought him all day. Not that he was expecting being sugar babied, but it just felt nice. Then maybe it would stop feeling like a hangout and more of something else.

“Hey,” Mark looked over his shoulder, taking a sip of his already warm coffee. He raised his eyebrows towards Jaebum. “You can punch me in the face, and I think I will be completely be okay with it.”

“Alright,” Mark looked away. And Jaebum swore he saw the corners of his lips pull up into a small smile.

  


***

  


“Move over,” Mark nodded towards the end of the booth as he shoved at Jaebum’s shoulder, already slipping inside without giving Jaebum at least a second to reject the offer. He hated the inner side of the booth. Just the thought of being trapped between the wall and a body or two makes him feel suffocated. But nothing ever goes Jaebum way, now, that apparently Mark decided that Jinyoung and Jackson are both annoying the fuck out of him.

Jaebum pressed his shoulder against the wall, trying to convince himself it wasn’t as bad, his upper body turned to face Mark. It wasn’t bad at all. Mark had his hat tightly wrapped around his head, almost swallowed by his black hoodie. The hoodie being so big that for a moment Jaebum had an odd thought of wanting to be in that sweater. With Mark. Like one of those gigantic sweaters made for two. Or maybe he just wanted to lay his head on that sweater. As Mark wears the sweater. Probably on the couch. Or maybe Mark’s bed. How warm is Mark’s bed?

“What the fuck,” Jaebum caught himself as he dropped his phone down table, letting it tumble on its back side. Mark only looked at Jaebum with the least bit of interest before sighing himself and folding his arms to lean against the booth.

“I know,” Mark clicked his tongue. And if he had heard Jaebum flinching and hitting the back of his head against the wall, he didn’t say anything. Jaebum started to feel his palm sweat and his body heating up in slight regret and a whole lot of fear. How did Mark already figure out his possible, potential minor stupid little crush? Is it even a crush? As far as Jaebum knows, from his nightly thoughts, Mark was just a small drunk infatuation. But how could he have known that? Surely Jaebum hadn’t been acting weird. “What kind of assholes invite us out for beef and be late? I mean I was late, but that’s only because I was the one invited and I wanted to be late.”

“O-oh,” Jaebum coughed and straighten himself up, as much as he can, because he didn’t want to look away just yet. There was an inkling urge for him to keep his stare for a bit longer. Not because he wanted to see and memorize every detail of his features, like those cheesy novels he might love reading in the night. Though, Jaebum knew he stared enough to probably accurately calculate how many pores he had. None. But it was because Mark had yet to look at him and it didn’t settle well with Jaebum. “Where do you think they are?”

Mark finally looked at him. Just for a mere second before his head dropped, chin almost hitting his own shoulder blade. His eyes downcasted to the space between them. “Why are you sitting so far away?”

“Huh?” Jaebum eyes slightly widen at the question as he grabbed his phone just for the sake of holding something.

“Why are you sitting so far..?” Mark looked at the other side of him and then back to Jaebum. There was a second or two long pause between them. Mark just staring at him and Jaebum trying to process what he was asking and why he was asking and how it was asked. He wasn’t given enough time to actually come up with a nonchalant answer when Mark pushed himself further inside the booth, sitting closer next to him. And then he scooted even closer, almost pressing his whole body against Jaebum as he leaned in, leaving Jaebum actually trying to physically morph himself inside the wall with how close Mark was, to the point he can feel his breath on his face. “Are you claustrophobic?”

And it all clicked in Jaebum’s head. The way the corner of Mark’s mouth threatened to pull up into a playful smirk. The same ones he had met a few times when Mark was feeling out of his shell for a second and going as bold as pressing his shoulder and arm against Jaebum’s chest just to antagonize him. So Jaebum jabbed a finger against Mark’s side and if he thought seeing Mark jump as far away as possible from the finger was adorable and if he found his yelp even cuter, he kept it to himself and laughed it off. Harder too when Mark glared at him, his hand clasping his side in protection. “Asshole!”

“Me? You’re the one trying to freak the fuck out of claustrophobic people!” Jaebum barked as he pointed at Mark’s face, his hand immediately being swatted. Jaebum looked at him dumbfounded, as he let his hand hang in the air after it had been so physically abuse. Before anyone knew it, Jaebum jabbed another finger against his side, even if that meant hurling himself forward.

“Stop it!” Mark yelled, anger evident in his voice, but the way he was smiling so brightly said otherwise. Jaebum ignored his please and started repeatedly poking the parts Mark wasn’t able to cover and soon enough, laughter broke out between the the two. With Mark threatening Jaebum’s life and Jaebum laughing about it.

“What’s going on here?”

Jinyoung finally made himself known, even when Jaebum may or may have not seen him standing by the booth already before he spoke. Mark seized all acts of violence as he turned around to face Jinyoung with a grin on his face. “You’re late. Where’s my roommate?”

“He’s your roommate,” Jinyoung pointed out as he proceed to stand. He just stared at the two, a slightly conflict in his eyes as he alternatively glance between Jaebum and Mark, like he was trying to commit telepathy with the both of them.

“You gonna sit?” Jaebum finally asked, Jinyoung nodding slowly and yet hesitatingly.

“Well, hyung is in my seat?” Jinyoung pointed out as he nodded towards Mark with his chin. And if Jaebum felt the tension in the air thicken, he just cowardly backed himself up against the wall. Further in when Mark had yet to stand up to let Jinyoung sit down.

“What do you mean?”

“Huh?” Jinyoung blinked, his eyebrows knitted in confusion. “You’re in my seat.”

Mark looked down at his lap before looking back up at Jinyoung again, blinking back at him. Jaebum tried to casually pull on the collar of his sweater, trying to find comfort as Mark pointed at the seats across the table. Not a word stuttered.

“No, b-but,” Jinyoung inhaled sharply, “I always sit next to Jaebum hyung. In this booth. Like every time we go here. This is _our_ seat.”

“Stop being childish and sit your ass down Jinyoung,” Mark broke the eye contact as he shoved his hand inside the pocket of his sweater to retrieve his phone, expertly unlocking it. Jaebum watched him open up his messaging up and started replying to the oddly numerous text messages, completely ending the small heavy argument. Jinyoung nose twice in irritation, yet still accepted defeat as he _sat his ass down_ , tantrum and all. Mark just ignored his mutters and Jaebum continued to stay silent.

 

***

 

Jaebum tightened his hold on his chopsticks, knuckles turning white as he violently kicked Jackson’s shin back under the table. The latter jaw clenched in muted pain as he glared at Jaebum across the booth. Already an hour in the dinner and Jinyoung had refused to even speak to Mark just once, and vice versa. And Jackson was probably blaming Jaebum for it.

He felt bad that Jackson literally was faced with war the moment he sat down. Jinyoung went to the bathroom as Jackson coincidentally showed himself, only ten minutes later than Jinyoung. He slipped his way into the inner booth. Unlike Jaebum, Jackson enjoyed being pinned against the wall.

“Hey, Jackson,” Mark straightened himself up as he leaned his chest on the table. Eyes still dark from the argument and Jaebum can only tell Mark is trying to dumb a whole lemon juice to the wound. “I don’t get it.”

“What don’t you get?” Jackson was unaware of the wrath Mark was about to spell in the tight click. He had just distractingly scrolled through his phone, only looking up when Mark didn’t say anything.

“I’ve seen your dick.” Mark stated. Jackson just nodded slowly, waiting for the other part of his statement. Mark then looked at Jaebum with an eyebrow raised.

“Where are you getting with this?”

“So I don’t get why Jinyoung has yet to beg you for marriage?” Mark pointed at Jackson.

Before Jackson can even answer him or before Jaebum can even react, Jinyoung slipped himself back in the booth, palms still wiping at this jacket. Only getting startled when he had scooted inside the booth only to bump into Jackson, not realizing he had already arrived. “S-sorry--when did you get here?”

“Just a minute or so ago,” Mark finally spoke and Jaebum looked at him in fear. “We were comparing dicks.” Jinyoung completely glowered, catching the bite in Mark’s words as he picked up his own chopsticks. “And which belongs to who.”

 


	3. Pizza and Friends

Jaebum was never great with confrontation and Mark might just be complete opposite. Because as far as Jaebum knew of what was the become of Jinyoung and Jackson since their last hang out as four was that it was just not going to happen anytime soon. If Jinyoung was great at finding ways to not be alone with Jackson, like manipulating Jaebum into thinking they were just going to get ice cream but end up third wheeling a date instead, then Jackson was amazing at being busy all the time. 

It had been a great two weeks since then. Perhaps, Jaebum should be enjoying his free time as a free man without any responsibilities of being a bluffer. But it turns out, Jinyoung and Jackson not talking was just as worse as Jinyoung and Jackson fucking with repressed hidden feelings. Because then he had to find a balance between holding Jackson’s hand in his time of need, pretending everything is fine with Jinyoung, and trying to analyze everything Mark does to him. When Jinyoung and Jackson were fucking, all he had to focus on was expanding his friendship with Mark and frankly he had forgotten he had two other best friends. 

“Hyung, let’s go hangout at Mark and Jacksons,” Jinyoung walked inside his room, hands behind his back with an eyebrow raised. He was rocking back and forth on his heels, a nervous habit Jaebum was well aware of but nevertheless ignored. 

“I had a long day,” Jaebum absentmindedly answered without much of a glance towards Jinyoung’s deflating form as he took off his coat and hanged it on the back of his chair. “I saw both of them all day yesterday already.”

It had accidentally slipped.  

“Oh, both of them?” Jinyoung took a step in the room, his socked feet making a soft sound against his wooden floor. “You saw Jackson too?”

“Yeah?” Jaebum looked over his shoulder to glance at Jinyoung who nodded slowly. He flinched at the slight twitch between Jinyoung’s upper left lip and his nose. “I mean it was just supposed to be me and Mark, but he wanted to tag along.”

“Didn’t he have a project to do?”

“He didn’t really say.”

 

***

 

“Hyung,” Jinyoung poked his head out of his room, hiding his bare chest. “Do you want to get ramen with me?”

“Sorry Jinyoungie, we ate already,” Jaebum nodded towards Mark who was still trying to take his expensive new shoes off. “We went to that new barbecue place with Jackson and Youngjae.”

“Oh.”

“We bought you some food home though!” Mark chirped from the floor and Jinyoung glowered. 

 

**

 

“Hyung,” Jinyoung sounded more than irritated over the phone and Jaebum couldn’t help but paused the game, Mark beside him sighing loudly. His arms folded as he leaned back against the couch, leg still over one of Jaebum's and hoodie over his head. It wasn’t like this in the beginning, he swore. A little while ago Jaebum and Mark had sat a whole foot away from one another, legs parted, elbows propped on their thighs, mirroring one another as they play together. Somehow along the way, with Jackson’s presence, gradually Jaebum felt himself move closer towards Mark until they were hip to hip and shoulder to shoulder. They were in peace with it, content by the closeness. That is until they were interrupted. 

Jaebum tried not to swallow the lump in his throat as Mark stared at him with a heavy glare. “Where are you?”

“I’m over at Mark and Jacksons. Why?” Jackson leaned his head back to look at Jaebum upside down, the temple of his forehead pressing against his knee. Jackson only raising an eyebrow. Jaebum winced. He knew he fucked up. He had to bring up Jackson’s name.

“Oh. Is Jackson there?” Jinyoung pondered. At the same time Jackson had reached for his phone and checked his messages, only to turn it off again, dropping it carelessly besides him, as if he was irritated. Mark and Jaebum had only spared him a look of confusion.

“Is Jackson here?” Jaebum repeated the question, looking down at Jackson with an eyebrow raised. The latter only shaking his head, no longer meeting his eyes as he stared straight at the tv. Leaving Jaebum to fend on his own against his own best friend who always saw through his likes. Always. “He left like a little while ago. Something about working out.”

Mark snorted. 

“So you and Mark on another date?” Jaebum felt the lump on his throat physically scratch the back of his throat as he started coughing all so suddenly. Jinyoung just laughing through the phone before he completely cut the line as the other two stared at him in confusion. That sneaky fuck. 

“What did he say?” Mark asked. Jaebum just looked at him for a moment before he’s pushing Mark’s leg off of him, hoping off the couch to stand by Jackson’s feet with a small laugh, shaking his head. 

“We’re watching this thing together and he spoiled--why are you ignoring Jinyoung?” Jaebum immediately changed the subject, knowing he can’t come up with an actual reason why he suddenly felt hot and flustered. Mark didn’t seem to catch on when he too had looked at Jackson, curious as well. 

“I’m not,” Jackson expressed through his eyes had said a completely different answer. It was no secret that Jackson and Jinyoung haven’t properly talked since almost three weeks ago. With Jackson dodging every chance and Jinyoung thinking space was what they needed. So then, everytime Mark and Jaebum wanted to go anywhere, Jackson had to tag along. The complete polar opposite of what Jaebum had to do when Jinyoung and Jackson was a thing, not that he and Mark was a _ thing _ . But since Jinyoung still felt angry towards Mark’s words (since you know, he was the sole reason why the two broke up in the first place) he had turned down every hangout. The perfect harmony for two ex never truly boyfriends.

“We’re not stupid Jackson.”

“Well fuck Jinyoung okay!” Jackson grumbled as he pushed himself clumsily to stand up properly, shoulder tense. If it was appropriate, Jaebum would have snorted at how easy it was to get things out of Jackson. But a friend in distress is a friend in distress. He wasn’t Mark. “He just keeps leading me on!”

“Leading you on?”

“You guys fuck everyday.”

Mark and Jaebum talked over one another and Jackson scoffed. “I don’t know. I don’t know if you guys know, but I like him.” Mark rolled his eyes and Jaebum gave Jackson that look he often gave to Youngjae whenever he was late on a joke. “And I thought he liked me too?”

“He does?”

“He lets himself get fucked by you?”

Mark looked at Jaebum the same time Jaebum looked at Mark. And simultaneously they both looked back at Jackson who was already glaring back at them. “Fucking and liking someone is not the same thing you asshole!” Mark clicked his tongue and mumbled along the lines of disagreement. And Jaebum suddenly felt insecure with a tiny pinch somewhere between his chest. He hadn’t even held Mark’s hand in  _ public _ , not that it was something he desperately wanted. But if sex was what defined Mark’s feelings, then where does Jaebum stand?

“What type of bullshit did you thought of now?”

“He only wants to be alone with me when he wants to fuck,” Mark and Jaebum looked at each other for a moment before looking back at Jackson. “Okay fine I did drag Mark along but I had stopped doing that a long time ago!” Jaebum raised an eyebrow at that statement. Trying not to feel any resentment to Mark’s  _ thank fuck. _ “Now he’s just coming along so that I wouldn’t have to be the third wheel betweens soulmates.”

“I don’t like Jinyo--”

“And I get that!” Jackson whined loudly with his hands up already in the air, bringing them forward to point at Jaebum. His eyes wide in frantic, like he was trying to prove himself.  “And that’s the whole point hyung!”

“What are you talking about?” Mark furrowed his eyebrows in a glare, fist already clenching by his thighs. 

“He knows that you don’t like him but he plays like you do and where the fuck do I stand when all that is happening in front of my eyes like as if I’m not there? It’s like you’re the gateway that I have to somehow impossibly pass and I can’t do that. And I shouldn’t have to, is my point. I shouldn’t have to shut him up with my own dick so he stops talking about you and pay attention to me.” 

“Oh wow,” was the only thing Jaebum could say as Mark blankly stares at him.

“And fuck yeah I get insecure all the time. These shits are not the things you do if and when you like someone. For fuck sakes I don’t see you dragging Jinyoung along everywhere whenever Mark asks to hang out. You don’t even tell Jinyoung!” 

Jaebum can see Mark finally looking away from Jackson to glance at his direction and down at the floor with a calculated look. And that scared the shit out of him. Especially with the way he wasn’t able to read his expression.

“Okay hold on, don’t--” 

“See?! Where the fuck does that lead me? Where do I stand? And Jinyoung won’t even tell me he has the slightest bit of feelings for me? I don’t even know if he has any? Or if I’m being played.”

“Jaebum,” Mark finally spoke, bringing the attention to him as Jackson panted, out of breath from the influx of words that escaped him. “I think you should talk to Jinyoung.”

“No!” Jackson waved his hand maniacally as he jumped towards Jaebum to grab him by his shoulders. “You cannot under any circumstance tell Jinyoung any of that!”  
“But Jack--”

“Hyung! Promise me you won’t do or say anything!”

“Fine.”

 

**

 

Jaebum grabbed the remote from the small table in front of their loveseat couch and turned off the tv, cutting of the drama Jinyoung was watching. “Yah!” the younger hissed as he physically tried to kick the older to repent for his sins. “I was watching that!” 

“Why are you playing Jackson?” Jaebum stood behind the table, blocking the black screen tv with his arms folded under his chest, and face stern. The same look he always had on whenever Jinyoung was fucking up, which basically meant every other month. But this was different. It was no longer about the fact that Jinyoung refused to clean up the apartment or the fact that he bought too much things from the grocery stores. It was about their friend, Jaebum’s best friend being hurt because his almost brother won’t man up. 

“What are you talking about?”

“I’m talking about you being a bitch and not telling Jackson what’s up,” Jaebum raised an eyebrow at him. 

“He’s the one that won’t talk to me!”

“It’s because you hurt him!” Jaebum barked and Jinyoung flinched. He childishly folded his arms under his chest and huffed, his chin dropped to his chest as he leaned down on the couch, scooting down so that he was practically laying down. Like a complete spoiled brat. “You know how Jackson is! He needs assurance and he needs affection. You can’t just fuck him and expect him to think that’s enough for him. And stop dragging me along so that he would get jealous you brat!”

“It’s not my fault!” Jinyoung sat up, the move still so childish. “You don’t know how it is to be with Jackson!” 

“Oh yeah then tell me about it.” 

“He’s everyone’s fucking boyfriend,” Jinyoung started with a solemn look as his shoulder deflate from the tense state it was. “Everywhere we go, he knows and flirts with everyone. And when he doesn’t know anyone, he talks to new people and get their number in front of me.” 

“Jackson is just like that. He likes being friends with people. And besides, he likes you.” 

“Does he?” it was Jinyoung’s turn to raise his eyebrows at Jaebum. “I’m the one that’s not being assured! He doesn’t even tell me if he likes me. I’m not even sure if he does, not with the buddy buddy act he does to me.” 

“He fucks you!” 

“And he won’t hold my hand!” Jinyoung barked back as he stood up. “I want to be treated like the way he treats you. For fuck sakes, he can cuddle you perfectly fine, hold onto you like it’s not tomorrow. And kisses your cheek like he’s in love with you. But with me? Nothing! He puts his pants back on immediately hyung! Immediately! Like as in right after sex.” 

“Oh wow,” Jaebum shook his head as he brings his hand up to pinch the bridge of his nose in irritation. “Let me talk to him.” 

“Well yeah, I guess since he won’t fucking answer my calls!”

 

**

  
  


Jaebum pulled onto the collar of his hoodie. Something about trying to confess to Jackson for Jinyoung seemed more difficult than him consulting Jinyoung at all. And that was more than ironic considering Jackson was easier to talk to when it comes to emotions and feelings. Whereas Jinyoung was more cryptic when it had come to things that are beyond math formulas and logic. So Jaebum really had no idea why it had been so hard for him to report back to Jackson. What can he even say? Jackson was already as vulnerable as he was. 

And he was genuinely going through with it when he had let himself in the apartment, fully knowing Mark and Jackson never locked their doors. Apparently, no one was stupid enough to rob broke college kids when neither Jackson or Mark owns a pair of knock offs. If high brand clothes, expensive beers, organic fruits and very unneeded speakers spoke broke college students to anyone, then Jaebum didn’t know what he and Jinyoung was. 

As he was about to call for Jackson, after closing and  _ locking _ the door behind him and taking his shoes off, he heard shuffling and pans banging in the kitchen. Immediately his senses hiked up and put his guards on. Slowly but carefully, with his shoulders held high and chest puffed out with his head pulled back, he made his way to the kitchen. Trying to remember all the moves he had learned when Jackson took him out on a bro date to a martial arts class. 

His first step inside the room, he got taken back by the odd smell of the sweetness of breakfast and the stink of alcohol. Jaebum furrowed his eyebrows when he was met with a table full of beer cans, bottles of sojus and around it are half assed cut up strawberries in a place, white powder splayed across the surface of the table, broken eggs, spilled milk and chocolate syrup. 

“What the fuck?”

To his right, someone had jumped up with a squeal at the sound of Jaebum’s dumbfounded voice. Then was immediately faced with laughter of joy as his name was called, yet so slurred out. Jaebum winced, already knowing who that laugh came from as he took another step inside and looked around. If the table was messy, the floor wasn’t any better. Jaebum didn’t know whether to keep his socks on or take them off. 

“I’m making pizza!” 

In that second, Mark had walked across the kitchen to invade Jaebum’s personal space. His arms spontaneously wrapping around his waist in ways that had never happened before as he pulled Jaebum, their bodies pressed flushed together. With a dazzling lazy smile planted on his lips, Jaebum felt his own toes curl up in pure fear and agony. Drunk Mark was someone Jaebum wasn’t familiar to. Only because Mark never gets drunk. And oh my god, he still smelled nice. 

“Oh fuck.”

Jaebum squirmed in his hold and Mark only smiled even brighter than before, his eyes disappearing. It was only then did Mark pull away with a hum vibrating against the back of his throat and moving away from Jaebum. He then suddenly grabbed Jaebum by the hand and pulled him towards the kitchen where he presents his dish. 

“Ta-dah!” Mark smiled at him brightly as Jaebum stared up at a big pancake cut up into 8 pieces like of a pizza. The surfaced covered in chocolate syrup with big pieces of strawberries as pizza toppings along it. It didn’t look exactly like a pizza, but with Mark, Jaebum just nodded along and clapped for him. “Want a bite?” 

“A bite?”

“Mhmm!” Mark didn’t even wait for Jaebum to approve this so called bite before he’s shoving a chunk into Jaebum’s mouth. The syrup getting caught on his upper lip as Jaebum hands quickly flinched out of its calm state to catch the strawberry that easily slipped out from the surface of the pancake. Though, he assumed Mark didn’t catch the sight as he stared up at Jaebum expectantly. Not once did he blink in a seconds of silence that pass through them as Jaebum finally takes in the pancake whole into his mouth, one cheek full as he chews slowly. It wasn’t cooked well. The moment his teeth sunk in, he suddenly felt the batter ooze out into his tongue, careful not to cringe at the taste. “How is it?”

Jaebum took a second to readjust his expression as he gives Mark a thumbs up with his lips tight shut up, forming into a thin line. “G-good!” Mark squealed in excitement as he grabs another one of his uncooked slices. In the midst of Mark looking away, Jaebum quickly pops in the strawberry into his mouth in order to remove the strong taste of uncooked batter from his tongue, though it didn’t help as much. 

Mark then turned to face him, eyes wide and almost teasing, as he handed Jaebum another slice. Damn, if Jaebum wasn’t such a sucker for Mark’s thousand watts smile then he would have thrown out the damn  _ pizza _ a long time ago. Anyone else,  _ anyone _ , like Jackson? He would have told the guy straight up it was disgusting and he should never attempt to bake again. If it was Jinyoung, he would have went straight to the trash to spit it all out, walk away with no words spared, just to spite his best friend. 

“Feed me!” 

“F-feed you?” Suddenly Mark was all over his space, so close, Jaebum can hear the way he breathes, feel the way he breathes, and if he looked anywhere else but Mark’s eyes, he can see the way he breathes. This is not good, not good at all. Mark then leaned even further with his mouth parted and his eyelashes closing gracefully. “Aah!”

Jaebum heart and brain both stuttered at the sight, everything felt hot and tight and he wasn’t sure if he was allowed to see any of these. The heat now climbing up to apple of his cheek, Jaebum plucked a strawberry from the surface of the so called pizza, and fed it to Mark clumsily. Warm wet lips wrapping around his index finger momentarily and yet it had already sent Jaebum into another abyss where he screamed all the suffering away, he swore his mind short-circuited for a moment. 

Mark was trying to kill him. 

“Yum,” Mark opened his eyes, clearly forgotten about the pancake slice as he beamed at Jaebum with his hands clasped together. And as if time had slowed down around them, Jaebum’s eyes flickered towards to his glistening lips as Mark poked his tongue out to lick off the juices from his lips. A move Jaebum swore just was for the sake of trying to slowly murder Jaebum as his heart started pounding in his ears, a hand already twitching in need to clutch at his heart. 

Mark knew, he knew what he was doing. Especially went his own perfectly white teeth sunk down onto his lower lip, lips pulling up into that smirk that Jaebum was well acquainted with when Mark wanted to mess with him. Though, when his bottom lip slip from between his teeth, it no longer felt like a joke when Mark came in closer and closer until Jaebum’s eyes become cross eyed at how close his lips were suddenly becoming. Until his own eyelids felt heavy in his haze, until he felt Mark’s own breath onto his own lips. 

“Mark! You can never believe what Jaebum hyung did!!” 

A bang vibrated through the whole apartment causing both Jaebum and Mark to suddenly pull away from one another, a whole feet apart. Jaebum getting so frightened by what was about to happen, getting caught regarding what was suppose to happen, getting found about doing what he was not supposed to be doing, Jackson’s voice booming, and the slam of the door that he accidentally balled his fingers into fists. Completely forgetting the snack he was holding until he felt the same batter ooze out into his knuckles, dripping into his own wrist. 

“Jaebummie is here, do you want to beat him up?” Mark looked over Jaebum’s shoulder as he stands on his toes, already unfazed from whatever they were doing. “I won’t let you!” 

“Yah! Im Jaebum!”

Jaebum also looked over his shoulder with a slight stern glare and Jackson immediately flinched at the sight. Taking a slight step back.

“...hyung. Im Jaebummie hyung!” Jackson quickly corrected himself. It wasn’t until then that he had noticed Jackson’s state. Hair disheveled like he had been running his fingers through it nervously and hastily. Clothes pulled on every which direction as if he had been picking at them. Jaebum could only imagine that panic Jackson went through only if it wasn’t so clear in the day the purple bruise he had filtered all over his damn neck. “I had been bamboozled and attacked!”

“What did Jinyoung do to you?”

“Oh everything,” Jinyoung then walked pass by behind Jackson. The corner of his lip pulled up in a smug smirk. The only thing Jaebum caught before he had disappeared from his sight. Jinyoung had grabbed Jackson by his arm and dragged him into his room with a small laugh at whatever Jackson had whispered. 

 

**

 

Now that everything was slightly back to normal, Jaebum was more than annoyed. It sounded cynical and pathetic, but a huge definite part of him wished Jackson ignored Jinyoung for just a little longer. Enough so Jaebum can have his peace and quiet for just a while longer, but not long enough for it to tear Jackson and Jinyoung apart of course. Which, according to Bambam, wouldn’t be all too mad. And at one point Bambam made sense. When was Jackson and Jinyoung ever calm and collected when it came to each other? Stressful, it really was. 

_ “I can already see it hyung. They’re gonna fight again in a week, I bet you everything.” _

Jaebum sighed as he closed his eyes and pulled the blanket further up his shoulders, trying to catch on the sleep he missed the past few days. Because Jinyoung can’t fucking take it apparently if Jackson’s dick wasn’t inside him. And the walls are thin and his earphones can only provide so much noise. But even then that didn’t mean Jinyoung cheap headboard wasn’t knocking against the walls. 

“Our apartment is cheap! We literally have plyer woods as walls! Can you guys fuck somewhere else?!” 

So perhaps that was why at exactly 3:04 am, Jaebum stirred from his much needed slumber when his blanket was lifted up as he felt a sudden dip in his bed and before he knew it a warm solid body was pressed against his front with his arm used as a pillow. 

“We fucking get it Jinyoung, his dick is big,” Mark grumbled lowly with much menace he could possibly muster out. Jaebum blinked sleepily as his other arm got yanked over the other’s waist and his whole naked chest flushed against his back, head dipping between his neck and shoulder. And if Mark shivered at a small warm smile Jaebum had subconsciously released just from the scent of Mark, he pretended not to notice. “This is all your fault.”

“I’m sorry. You have real walls,” Jaebum chuckled, making Mark squirm inside his embrace, tightening his hold on the latter. And it was quiet from then on but Jaebum knew Mark wasn’t sleeping. His muscles are still tense as if he was holding something back, and once in awhile he would inhale deeply yet discretely to hold back his breath, only to release it quietly periodically. Jaebum already knew he wanted to say something but he waited for him. 

Jaebum had troubles keeping awake and soon enough his eyelids fell shut, unable to wait for Mark to commence their deep midnight talk. Though, that was what Mark was good at. Make Jaebum as vulnerable as possible before he would attack and devour every last bit of his sanity. And yet it was still surprising when he heard Mark’s voice break through the stagnant silence of his dark room where he held Mark against him, practically naked if it wasn’t for his boxers. 

“Jaebum, what are we?”

If Jaebum thought he was feeling tired, that particular question jolted him from any sense of tiredness. The sincerity of the question was hard to decipher and so were their situation. What were they? They weren’t two people in a relationship, if that was what Mark was inquiring about. Sure, they had hung out plenty of times alone together. But it wasn’t like he hadn’t done things that he wouldn’t have done with Jinyoung or Jackson and maybe even Yugyeom. And yeah maybe they had that moment together in Mark and Jackson’s kitchen, but Mark was drunk and he didn’t know what the fuck he was doing. But other than that, he wasn’t able to think of any significant moments where it felt like anymore more than a strong friendship. 

And did Jaebum felt him wanting more than just having a strong friendship? Of course he did. He wasn’t a fool and going to deny what he had for Mark was all admiration and nothing else. But what they have had already been so good. Anything else would have made it  _ difficult _ and Mark was already so difficult enough. What did Mark even want? He had teased and he had flirted, but it had seemed like something a  _ some _ would do. 

Then the sudden thought dawned on Jaebum. What if he had only asked to see where he would need to put his boundaries? Everything might not be the same if he were to answer wrong, to answer more than what Mark wanted him to say. 

“Friends?”

There was a long pause between that. Such a long moment that Jaebum had thought that Mark had already fallen asleep waiting for his answer. But then he felt him take a long inhale before exhaling out loudly. 

“Friends.” Mark nodded and it was quiet again.


	4. Posters and Bambam

“Hyung,” Jinyoung appeared before his door with a small smile, tight lipped and eyes doe. “Me and Jackson are going to hang out. Here. For a date. Like maybe three or four.”

Jaebum stared at him for a second or so, coat already hanging low on his elbows, had already initiated to take them off. He just bit his lips together tightly for a while, body already aching from the cold and honestly just need to close his eyes for maybe a few to a couple hours. Perhaps have some rich people tea in the morning to motivate him to work harder for his future. But naturally, with a best friend like Park Jinyoung, there was always something that restricted him from that great high. 

With his lips popping loudly, shoulder working on pulling the coat back around him, he just shook his head, not necessarily surprise but highly disappointed. “Fuck you guys. Fuck you both.” 

Jinyoung just giggled, never even bothered to be grateful and said his thank you’s as he was already skipping his way to his bedroom. Jaebum muttered the words of death below his breath as he made his way out of his room again, phone in his hand and keys in his coat. Though, he didn’t move fast enough before he heard a loud grunt followed by a really loud and obnoxiously loud groan. He wished he hadn’t visualize Jackson combing his fingers through Jinyoung’s hair as he insistently pulled him closer towards his groin. Jinyoung on his knees, mouth full of Jackson’s dick. But he did, oh he fucking did. 

“Oh god.” 

Jaebum felt the banana he had just eaten crawling up his stomach to his throat. Swiftly, he locked the door behind him, hopefully when Jackson was done fucking Jinyoung silly, he would consider Jaebum as his role model and lock his own doors. With much remorse and anger, he hugged himself under the cold, fingers hidden inside his armpit, chanting a curse in his head. 

At least Jinyoung had considered the timing particularly well. If he had kicked Jaebum out five minutes after, he would have missed the last bus to come in the night. And then he would have walked the whole twenty minutes to Mark and Jackson’s. He honestly did not want to commit the trek. He rather wrangle the shit out of Jackson for being easily swayed under Jinyoung’s spell than die with frost bite. Butt naked or not. 

But, Jinyoung was at least considerate to a degree. So it didn’t take Jaebum long until he rubbed his hands together to find some sort of warmth as he jogged towards his friends’ apartment door, not bothering to knock or ring the bell as he invited himself in. Doors left unlocked, of course. And before he can even call out for Mark to make aware of his presence, he let out a moan, the warmth devouring him so nice and toasty. So warm, unlike his own place. He can only laugh at Jackson and Jinyoung, wishing for them to get frost bites on their dicks. But the image of it only made him take it all back. 

“Make that noise again for me baby boy.” 

Jaebum flinched as he brought his arms down to his side, after his stretched. In front of him stood Mark, in a tank top and sweatpants, hand shoved inside his shirt. He tilted his beer bottle towards Jaebum with a flirtatious wink, Jaebum making sure with all his might that he had captured and remembered each and every detail of exactly just that. 

“I very much enjoyed your revenge,” Jaebum mentioned, although instantly regretting uttering it all out. Because then it sent him back in time, in his memory lane, when he had outright told Mark they were  _ friends _ . But considerate and tantalizing gorgeous Mark didn’t seem bothered by it. So he had just taken his shoes off, placed it near Mark’s new pair of sneakers, hung his coat by the back of the couch before he headed his way towards his new  _ friend _ ’s room. 

“Hey,” Mark called behind him, Jabeum pausing in front of his bedroom’s door as he looked over his shoulder, hands already hovering around the doorknob. “Sleep in Jackson’s.”

“What?” Ouch. He knew Mark could be petty and mean, but he didn’t know how extensive he could be. Mark had purposely made Jaebum uncomfortable in public too many times. He had once tricked Jackson into drinking pickle juice just because Jackson had commented how pink his nipples were. Surely, that one comment during that one time they hung out together, pissing Jinyoung off, was rather extensive. But Jaebum would never guess he would be the in the receiving end of it. 

“I’m working on something,” Mark looked at him, eyes seemingly distracted as he scanned Jaebum form his toes and up until he met his eyes. “You’re a whole fucking distraction.” 

“But,” Jaebum face broke into a grimace, “they shared their semen on that bed.” 

“Jackson changed the sheet some hours ago,” Mark pointed with his beer bottle at Jackson’s room, like an authoritative figure banishing a child to go to his room and repent for his sins. Which is exactly what this was. Mark punishing Jaebum for being a whole fucking mess.  _ Friends _ . “Go.” 

“You’re so mean,” Jaebum doesn’t fail to mutter out as headed to Jackson’s room, the smaller room. And if he had pouted, it was because Jackson’s bed was small unlike Mark’s, and not because he wanted to drown himself in the scent of Mark after days (two) of not seeing him, breathing his air. The bed wasn’t as soft also and for a person who had a smaller bed, he felt like there was no space. Jaebum wanted the king sized one, the one Mark had, with the really soft blanket and the abundance of pillows, and that big ass stuffed teddy bear stuffed against the wall. Jackson had two pillows and his blanket was thin and ugly. He would even rather stare at the one anime chick with the abnormally large boobs hanging on the wall of Mark’s room than looking at every single trophy and awards Jackson had received throughout his lifetime. 

But he didn’t have the time to appreciate every single one before he felt his eyelids shut, unaware that he had already fallen deep into slumber until all his thoughts shut off and hurled himself into a dreamless sleep. Even if his mind didn’t feel right sleeping where Jackson had rimmed Jinyoung multiple times, his body didn’t care for whomever tried to swallow what juices, he needed sleep after working with Youngjae for such a long period of hours. He loved Youngjae like he was a brother, but damn it, he’d rather spend a whole day of Yugyeom pissing him the fuck off, than cleaning up after Youngjae whenever he messed up.

Though, even at the back of his mind, he knew sooner or later, no matter how much later, those doors that he intentionally did not close, would reopen. So in his hazy state, he lazily lifted an arm up to welcome the warmth of his body within his hold the second time that week. His body small against his yet fits just right. They both inhaled deeply before sighing softly in content, arms and bodies shifting to feel more at place with one another. Mark tucked in, his head on Jaebum’s arm, enjoying being cocooned in his arms with Jaebum’s face buried between the crook of his neck. 

Only this time Mark instantly falls asleep in his hold. No question lingering at the tip of his mouth. Just the desire for warmth and sleep, leaving Jaebum onto his own thoughts. Because Mark reeked of alcohol, a smell Jaebum wasn’t ever familiar with him except maybe once or twice. Every breath he took made him dizzy, but did not push Mark away or spoke of it whatsoever. And he knew, with the way Mark had already fallen into slumber, that there had been a question. But Jaebum didn’t further question anything, he had just wanted Mark to sleep, to feel safe. 

Even with the conflicting thoughts in his head, it didn’t take long before the exhaustion comes back to him, lulling him to his own slumber with the help of the extra warmth next to him. Before he knew it, the next time he had opened his eyes, the room was a lot brighter than when he had came in, though thankfully, Jackson was smart enough to invest in thick curtains to block it all the light out. 

He was groggy at first, not truly willing to open his eyes up, nor even attempting to pull away from his position. Mark had shifted in his sleep, now rolling onto his stomach, with his arm hanging off the side of the bed, cheek planted against Jaebum’s bicep, in an angle where it had cut off the circulation in his arm, losing the feeling on his hand. The blanket had also been pushed off to their waist, but Jaebum didn’t care, not when he can bask in the idea of Mark still being there, unlike the last time where Mark had left without much of a note or a text. 

But with the class he knew he needed to attend in about two hours, he reluctantly whispered softly, voice husky with unused as an arm shook Mark’s lower back. “Mark I have to go,” he was met with a small whine, almost a squeak that had Jaebum’s heart pummeling and constricting that it had truly become hard for him not to giggle at the sound. But when he had tried to slip his arm off, Mark had only groaned. “Mark,” Jaebum tried again, this time successfully slipping his arm off, with Mark cuddling onto Jackson’s pillow in trade for Jaebum’s numb arm. 

Carefully, he slipped out of Jackson’s bed, cautious not to step or disturb his friend, knowing what comes after a night of drinking. With light steps, he had snuck out of Jackson’s room to make his way to the kitchen, already familiar and comfortable in the apartment. On his way there, with one eye still closed, he had passed by Mark’s room, with the door only opened slightly. 

Though, even with the lack of actual alertness and vision, Jaebum still couldn’t help himself but notice the stubborn feeling in his chest. He vaguely remembered his first impression of Mark when Jackson was telling him tales of his roommate. Scary and probably a psychopath. He remembered how distressed Jackson was with how quiet and yet violent Mark could be. 

_ “He broke our stereo hyung,” Jackson wailed loudly, shoving his wounded finger in his face that fifth time that hour. Jaebum grimacing at the poporo bandaid wrapped around his index finger, although such a minor injury, he couldn’t help but fall for Jackson’s dramatics. It was more than just a small cut, like Jinyoung had considerably mentioned a  bunch of times, it was a wound. A battle wound. “He’s gone crazy!” _

So it probably wasn’t a very good idea to delve in the image of that Mark. It had been almost two years since he had befriended Mark, two months after Jackson’s constant crying in his arms about his supposedly traumas. But it had also been a good two years since he had enjoyed his moments with Mark. Perhaps, a good portion of that time was Jaebum and Mark only ever so coexisting, but a quarter of it was more precious to Jaebum than anything. But even then, he wasn’t able to help himself but peek his head inside. 

It was more than just messy. Because Mark wasn’t messy. Clearly, with his strict no eating on my bed policy, and his need to actually dust his shelf full of books he never actually read, and even the need to always keep his pillows perfectly aligned along his bed. With as much detailed as Jaebum can process that morning, Mark’s whole room was wrecked. Mattress overturned, a blanket even hanging off an already broke curtain. Chair lying broken on the floor with what had seemed to be broken beer bottles scattered everywhere. That boob poster in the middle of the the room, ripped, like the rest of his posters. School supplies gone and the desk, it was no longer what it was. 

Now he realized why Jackson and Jinyoung were so adamant into kicking Jaebum out and forcing him to sleep over. It was never for them. Jinyoung was never the one to sacrifice himself for the cold unless he felt like it was more than appropriate. And Jackson was much like Jaebum, always beating around the bush and only leading you to the conflict instead of actually telling. Jaebum somehow felt responsible. 

Quietly, Jaebum closed the door, without so much of a noise but the click of the door closing. Fazed by whatever kind of wrath Mark’s room faced. He padded across the apartment to the kitchen, like he had already owned the place and grabbed a bottle of water and a bottle of painkillers before walking back into Jackson’s bedroom. When he had slipped back inside, Mark was still heavily asleep, snoring quite louder this time, already rolled onto his back with his arms spread in the space where Jaebum had slept on.

Putting down the bottle of water and painkillers on the nightstand, Jaebum was quick to write a note to attach it on the bottle before turning his full attention on Mark. He was skinnier. Bags hanging under his eyes heavily. And hair showing its roots from its previously strawberry blonde color. Even in his sleep, he didn’t look as content as Jaebum had imagined, with his eyebrows furrowed, and lips worrying into a pout. 

“Mark,” Jaebum was only able to smile as he reached for the blanket to pull it over his chest, pretending he didn’t see the cut peeking out from his shirt. “Don’t do that again,” he scolded quietly, quite frightened for Mark to actually wake up. But he wasn’t able to stop himself from grabbing Mark’s hand carefully from where it was hanging off the floor. Biting his lips, Jaebum held his breath as his tried not to let his fingers graze over the bruising knuckles and the cuts that scattered on his hands.

Jaebum didn’t try asking the impending question in his mind. Didn’t try to think about how this might have been all his fault. Like maybe it was more of a personal issue with another situation, not for the fact that Jaebum might have led Mark on. Or the fact that he might have shoved Mark to where he was two years ago, just because he wasn’t able to properly distinguish his fear and his feelings. 

“I’m sorry,” Jaebum whispered as his thumb caressed the inside of Mark’s hand. Jaebum wasn’t fond of confrontation, so he knew he wasn’t able to ask. So, in his half-assed apology, he had placed Mark’s hand over his chest and bent over to place a lingering kiss on his forehead. “Don’t do that again.”

 

**

 

Jaebum diligently grabbed his red sharpie to draw the third line on his arm. Eyes rather concentrated as the group around him barked in laughter over something Jackson might have  said, or perhaps whatever Yugyeom retorted back. Much to no one’s surprise, Jaebum was one of the lasts ones to actually make it to the party. Bambam, Youngjae, and Jackson having a head start. Followed by Yugyeom and Jinyoung who had ditched Jaebum early, because apparently, he wasn’t worth the wait when it comes to booze. Then Mark, who had only came because someone had confirmed both his roommate and  _ best friend  _ Im Jaebum was coming, thanks Youngjae. 

So it was also to no one’s surprised when he made it to Bambam being shit faced, thanks again Youngjae, Jinyoung’s favorite disciple. If Jaebum had Yugyeom, and Jackson had Bambam, then Jinyoung had Youngjae (Mark was the last to join the group, but Jackson had noted they can share Bambam, which Mark had politely declined). Yugyeom was responsible, upright and knew his wrongs from his rights. Then there was Bambam, who somehow always get away with his wrongs and then proceeds to demand appraisal for his rights. Youngjae, he never understood  _ anything _ , sometimes, under circumstances, he even forgets his own left and right. 

“This is my dear loving love child with myself, even if he’s a little too stupid,” Jinyoung hugged Youngjae’s head to his own chest, cheeks already flushed. Youngjae didn’t take the insult to the heart and melted right into Jinyoung’s hold. Both already lost in intoxication. 

“And this is my loving daddy,” Bambam chirped as he slipped between Jaebum’s legs to slide into his lap, arms wounding around Jaebum’s head too while he was in the middle of drinking. Jaebum then choked on his beer at both the name calling and lap sitting, the liquid caught against the back of his throat as he rudely starts coughing into the space next to him, Yugyeom quick to jump onto his feet to escape the torment. “Right daddy?”

“Right,” Jaebum laughed hoarsely anyway, even when he could barely mutter out his repsonse, raising his empty cup for Yugyeom to pluck off his hands, after quickly muttering about needing some excuse to talk to the girl at the liquor table. Bambam just continued to cuddle up against Jaebum. Even going to the extent of rubbing their cheeks together. Until Mark’s hand came flying to his thigh causing the younger to squeak in pain only to be roughly pushed down the couch, head knocking onto the arm of the couch.

“Mark that hurts!” Bambam whined as he kicked at Mark lazily as the latter flopped down next to Yugyeom’s original set. And if it wasn’t enough that Bambam was physically unable to push himself up, Mark had reached between Jaebum’s thighs to grab onto Bambam’s legs and somehow twist him around until his arms are flapping widely in the air before he falls ungracefully to the floor, a foot still hooked over Jaebum’s leg, which Mark does not forget to flick off. “You’re so fucking ugly for that.”

“Remember, my poor ugly child, what’s Mark is Mark’s. Rich boy don’t like sharing,” Jackson crouched down besides Bambam, the youngest staring up at the ceiling in silence. 

Jaebum had lost count. He had lost his marker, by the fifth cup. Probably dropped into one of the sofas, or maybe he just didn’t recall at all. But he knew he cannot count how much shots of tequila he had taken in one hand. And he can’t count how many red cups he had gone through without using his toes. But he trusted his friends to count for him, who were as equally as shit faced as he was. Except Mark, the only good one of the bunch. The only one Jaebum had so dearingly liked. Because fuck Jinyoung and Jackson for stressing him out and fuck the maknaes for encouraging him to flip his middle finger at his exam in three days and go to this stupid party.

“Disgusting.” 

“Shut the fuck up Bambam, you always got something negative to say,” Jaebum had looked up at his drink, smile already so lazy upon his lips as he watched Bambam and Youngjae fight. Even when Bambam cuddled up to his side, asking his hyung for any sort of protection from Youngjae’s need to strangle his skinny neck. For some reason, he hadn't’ learnt his lesson. Jaebum didn’t truly understand the situation but he had just wrapped his arm around Bambam’s head and told Youngjae to fuck off. Which, in turn of events, Jackson had ended up telling him to fuck off instead, in the place for Jinyoung.

Thus why Jackson had almost scratched Jaebum’s eyes off in an attempt to redeem every drop of Youngjae’s very dense pride. Though, there was no purpose or heat to the fight, but once Bambam cried into Jaebum’s chest over a small cut on his arm, it was over. Jaebum had drunk the rest of his cup’s contents and Jackson had left for another cup of whatever he loved to mix in. Everyone groaning in unison when he smacked Jinyoung’s ass on the way.

Even Mark, the only one sober. Though the sight alone did not stop him from attempting to pry off a clingy Bambam off of Jaebum who was disgustingly breathing heavily onto his neck. “Fuck off Bambam,” Jaebum had vaguely heard Mark muttered bitterly near his ear as he literally placed his big palm on Bambam’s face to push him off. His pretty hand, long slender fingers, almost bony, but nevertheless perfect and cute, with his naturally pink fingernails. 

But what comes off of Bambam giving up into Mark’s insistent pursuing comes Jinyoung grabbing Jaebum to take him to the bathroom. Apparently, Yugyeom had rejected him from coming along, not wanting to deal with the drunk mess Jinyoung was. Especially when it comes to Jinyoung and bathrooms, often finding the latter shit faced inside the bathtub. Jaebum following him, he had forgotten to pay any attention to Mark calling his name. 

What probably seemed like five minutes, was truly a twenty minutes of Jaebum's standing by the door, head spinning but smiling anyways. Body silently dancing to the beat of the music thumping from the floor below. 

“Drink,” he didn’t quite remember how Mark got up the stairs, or when did he, but suddenly there was a bottle of water being shoved into his hands. Another pair guiding his own lazy ones to help him chug down half the contents before it became all too much and he had forgotten how to exactly swallow. So he ended up coughing out the rest, spilling some into his black shirt and most into Mark’s white ones. Nose, lips, and chin wet from what he had hoped was just only water. Mark was scolding him, but he didn’t hear. All he knew was that Mark was patting him on the back as he bent over his knees, coughing out the droplets stuck at the back of his throat. “You’re always like this Jaebum-ah. Always drinking pass your limits you shit head.” 

“S’rry,” Jaebum mumbled quietly as he finally pushed himself up to stand back up, the blood quickly rushing to his head as he stumbled back against the door of the bathroom. With the back of his hand, he wiped off his lips before finally realizing he had his eyes closed the whole time. 

“Drink more,” Mark pressed the tip of the water bottle against Jaebum’s lower lip, the younger refusing childishly as he pushed it away, shaking his head vehemently, eyebrows furrowed. “I said drink.” 

“Dun wanna,” Jaebum slurred as he slouched forward, “c’nt make me!” He threw his arms around Mark’s smaller shoulders, wrapping them around his neck to pull him close, just so he can rest his head on his shoulder. He knew the sigh that escaped from Mark was neither approval or out of relief, but he couldn’t help but smile at the thought of just holding Mark, something he would never do without the influence of alcohol. To just smell the crook of his neck where Jaebum had noted he smelled the best. To be able to feel the tip of his hair brushing ticklishly against his cheek. He wished he can do all of these in any normal situation without any questions, any hesitancy, and for fuck sakes without it being more than what it was.

“I’ll take you home,” Mark spat through his gritted teeth, seemingly no longer intriguid or flattered about how cute of a drunk Jaebum seemed to be. But something stubborn stirred in his stomach and had flat out rejected Mark’s offer with a hard ‘no’, even when the older’s glare sent shivers down and through his spine. “You’re pissed drunk.”

“And you’re pissed, it’s kinda hot,” Jaebum yelled, even when he didn’t have to. Mark flinching at the sudden volume of his voice that the tips of his ears redden by just how much heads turned their way curiously. Even more so when Jaebum had leaned his forehead against Mark’s, ignoring the way the older had grimaced at the smell of his breath. “So pretty you could be my boyfriend. But you won’t like that. Friends, it’s all we could be.”

“Jaebum--”

“I’m done!” the door to the bathroom bursted open, coming out Jinyoung with his pants still opened, boxers peeking out and shirt still hooked over his stomach, hair and face wet. “If I were any of you, I wouldn’t consider bathing.”

Thank god they don’t live there. 

“Yah, you, drink this,” Mark, holding Jaebum still with one arm, the latter now leaning against him, head tucked between his neck, shoved the water bottle into Jinyoung’s arm. Luckily, he was more than compliant as he chugged down the last contents of the water bottle. “Jinyoung we have to go home.”

“What? No! I haven’t even drank,” Jinyoung wiggled his index finger into Mark’s face, the oldest slapping the hand away. “Come on hyung, we still have beer pong to win!” And just like that, Jaebum was being shoved away, thankfully not tripping over his own feet when they walked down the stairs, following behind them was Mark. Jaebum felt the glares shooting daggers, but he ignored it. Mark wasn’t his actual boyfriend, in his drunk state that was. 

So like they have done in any party both Jinyoung and Jaebum participated in with a ping pong table, they played beer pong, and miraculously actually winning at it. 

“Isn’t that funny,” Jackson had brought up as Jaebum chugged down the contents of the third red cup stolen from them. He was more sober now, apparently, being forced by the oldest to drink a whole bottle of water. But nevertheless, he was still drunk. If sober Jackson was usually very careful with his words, often considering others, drunk Jackson becomes someone so oddly and scarily similar to Mark when feeling feisty. “You haven’t even gotten dicked yet, but he’s already treating you like a b-rated side dish.  _ Friends _ am I right?” 

“Hyung!” Yugyeom, the only sane one in the group, had gasped out loud, distracting Jinyoung from his focus on the game, causing him to miss the opponent’s cup. Jackson hadn’t realized the magnitude of his words. Not even when the unopened bottle of water came crashing on the floor by the sudden angered strength that came in Mark’s tipping temper. The throw so strong the plastic bottle split open and water splashed on the floor (that Youngjae later tripped on, under the care of Yugyeom). But even the explosion didn’t stop the boys rough housing from across the floor or the gossip circle formed at the corner of the room, and or even the beer pong game in front of them. 

It wasn’t even until Yugyeom had tipped Jaebum that Mark had left that he had realized, something had gone incredibly wrong. It was all incredibly childish too, Yugyeom had mentioned. But he never meant Mark, he meant Jackson and Jaebum combined. Though before he had been the receiving end of Yugyeom’s harsh berating for someone so young, Jaebum stumbled out of the house, getting fresh air after what seemed to be hours. 

It was quite difficult, looking for Mark. Jaebum should have assumed Mark had really left the six to fend for themselves. Should have assumed, so maybe he wouldn’t have found Mark, five houses away, sitting on someone’s lawn with his head buried in his hands, shoulders shaking, and this time it wasn’t from anger, but from actual tears. 

“I am so tired,” he had whispered shakily, in a language Jaebum wasn’t too familiar with as he fell onto his butt trying to sit down next to him. Jaebum truly had no sense what was happening, all he knew that Mark needed him to wrap his arms around his smaller frame, no matter how much he was pushed and shoved off. To have Mark pressed against his chest even when his punches had actually hurt enough to leave bruises. Even when his words were so sharp, it had actually broken Jaebum for a moment until he forgot every single last bit of it the following morning.

“Friends? Friends Jaebum? We’re fucking friends to you? That’s all I get--I deserve from you?”

But why did it feel like there was more to this than Jaebum fucking up? Jaebum wasn’t sure if Mark had told him. He hadn’t even know what he had done wrong. He forgot. Only the sight of Mark crying alone had been the only memory that lasted through the morning when both students woke up to the sprinklers turning on. And Mark had looked as awful as Jaebum did. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it's quite dramatique, but it'll get more dramatique soon. Also, it it's corny TT^TT I am sorry
> 
> But I think I have decided this fic will probably have 10 - 15 chapters (or more if I'm feeling it). And I was going to promise a weekly update, and I will try now that I have arranged how I want this story to go. I'm not sure if I can commit to it, but I will try!
> 
> Thank you for reading and don't forget to leave kudos and comments!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! Please leave comments and kudos!
> 
> If you guys want to talk ^^
> 
> Twitter: @jaebeomsuwu


End file.
